Restoring Cavities: Fillings or Crowns?

We all have experienced that familiar, dull soreness in our mouths before; and then the thought pops into our heads, I have a cavity. Hopefully, you’ll have called your dentist to make an appointment to take care of that as soon as possible so you can comfortably eat and drink without triggering cavity pain. Dr. Shen of Smile by Design explains why a root canal and replacing the compromised tooth with a crown may be better than filling the cavity.

Fillings Chip while Crowns Protect!

Unlike dental crowns or caps, cavity fillings have a tendency to crack over time from normal wear and tear. There has even been an instance where one of our patients had to come back for us to redo the filling because they had eaten a sticky candy that pulled it right out! This is why we prefer using a crown instead because it stays in place for a long-lasting result and looks just like your natural-born teeth without the obvious filling material standing out against your enamel. Sometimes dentists may choose to use a silver amalgam while others use a porcelain color, yet the white color still looks unnatural to the naked eye.

Fillings are temporary!

While a filling may be the cheaper option initially, it can easily be taken out by a sticky candy or crack from wear and tear over time. They often need to be replaced throughout the years and eventually, the tooth will continue to crack until it requires something more permanent to restore and protect the tooth from further damage.

This is where dental crowns come in. Dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials, from metal, to stainless steel, to porcelain-fused-to-metal, to all-resin, to all-ceramic or all-porcelain, to zirconia, and more. Each material has a different strength, texture, color, and stability so it is really up to you and your dentist whether or not to pick an all-ceramic crown to match the rest of your smile or to pick a metal if the crown will rest in the back of the mouth.

If you wait to get a cavity filled or repaired, one of a few things can happen:

Nothing! Your tooth is stronger than we thought!

The tooth could chip and require a simple repair.

The tooth could crack and require a crown.

The tooth could split which would require crown lengthening or an extraction of that tooth.

The nerve is affected and inflamed and a root canal is needed.

Number five is especially possible if you leave your cavity untreated. When the cavity grows, the infection can spread and make the pulp of the tooth (the pulp is the center of the tooth that is composed of nerves and tissues) very sensitive to extreme temperatures such as hot or cold, and even pressure from the jaw.

Contact Us To Fix Your Cavities!

If you have been experiencing a soreness or pain while drinking tea or eating ice cream, you may have a cavity that has affected the rest of the tooth. To find out what we can do to restore that tooth, contact our office in Mountain View, CA to schedule your consultation with Dr. Shen. We know how uncomfortable a cavity can be while eating, drinking, and talking; we can’t wait to help take that pain away!

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Patient Testimonials

I had 4 fillings done by Dr. Donian Shen this week. She is incredible, full of energy and very knowledgable. She explained pros and cons of all the procedure she was about to do, gave me options to choose from.I had a very huge filling to do which was so close to the nerve. She spent an hour to fix it (other dentist would have spent 15 min on just on filling) but she made sure the filling stick so there would be no leaking. She had done layers of fillings and in between lazer dryined and what now. She is a pro in my opinion

Asli F. Mountain View, CA

Coming here was such a great experience. I have no complaints! My teeth are cleaned with care and the staff are very friendly. Dr. Shen knows exactly what she is doing.

Rolland R. San Ramon, CA

I lived in Antioch and I took me quite long time to go to Dr. Shen's clinic if you know the fact that the higher way 4 (from Hillcrest to Somersville) is the most congested route in bayarea and ranked 27th in US as I heard from KGO this morning. Anyway, my three kids are happy to visit her office instead of two clinics we visited close to our home. Do not ask me why and they just be happy with her and we just booked another appoint in the coming spring break.

Genez Antioch, CA

I was introduced by my friend to Dr. Shen's dental office two years before. There is one tooth was in very bad situation, I asked several dental offices they gave me same suggestion that was remove away. I fortunately got in Dr. Shen office, she was so skillful and took three times office visit, made my this bad tooth got survived. I am really very satisfy with Dr Shen and her office.

Ping Y San Francisco, CA

It has almost been one year since my last review and I am still nothing but pleased with Dr. Shen and the staff at her office. One thing I would like to add to my last review is that Dr. Shen places a great deal of importance on education. My previous dentist was very good at telling me what I should and should not do to maintain good oral hygiene, but never bothered to explain to me why I should do these things. This has not the case with Dr. Shen.

Conor E San Jose, CA

I had a really painful toothache and Dr. Shen scheduled me right away. I was so grateful that they understood my pain and wanted to fix me up immediately. This is a dentist that really cares!

Jane.J Davis, CA

I fell and slammed my tooth into the concrete, I was terrified of losing my tooth, blood was flowing. Yuck! Dr. Shen fit me in as emergency, and stabilized my tooth. As a result of Dr. Shen's extreme efforts I was able to save my tooth! I highly recommend Dr. Shen!

Contact Smile By Design

Dr. Donian Shen and Smile by Design

At our practice, Dr. Shen provides a comprehensive array of general, cosmetic, and restorative dental treatments. The care and comfort of you and your family are our highest priorities, and we hope to speak with you soon.